FarSounder Sonar for RRS Sir David Attenborough

FarSounder’s longest range sonar system FarSounder-1000 is slated to be the latest addition of the equipment incorporated into the British Antarctic Survey’s new Polar Research Vessel, the RRS Sir David Attenborough.

Cammell Laird is currently constructing this more than $180 million polar research ship owned by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) at the Cammell Laird Birkenhead shipyard, Port of Liverpool City Region, UK.

Pinpoint Electronics of Devon, UK is the local FarSounder representative for this project. Pinpoint’s managing director, Sally Dale stated, “As a former officer in the Royal Navy, a ship’s safety has always been of the utmost importance. Over my years in the industry, I have learned the best way to achieve the highest level of safety is by adding a FarSounder sonar to the navigation suite.”

The coverage achieved by utilizing FarSounder-1000 could open up new locations for science and demonstrate and reinforce continuing British presence in Antarctica and the South Atlantic.

The sonar will be protected during ice breaking operations via a custom hoist designed and built by C4R Maritime Solutions of Frederikssund, Denmark, and tested in the lab at Force Maritime in Denmark. “Having this new solution for specialized vessels, a new world opens up to many more vessels that can benefit from the innovative technology of FarSounder,” said Bill Endersen, senior engineer at C4R.